Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 033109

First up in wildfire news today, Helicopter Association International points out what they consider a dangerous alteration to the FLAME Act; but with wildfires already burning in New Mexico, fire authorities hardly have to remind residents that it's Wildfire Awareness Week! Firefighters in and around Denver, Colorado, are breathing a sigh of relief as recent storms in the area have reduced the fire danger all along the Front Range; and to help out in the future, a CodeRED system has been installed in Elbert County, providing wildfire alerts for residents of that area. Two bills related to wildfire fighting were enacted at the Colorado State House, one of which removes restrictions on how high a fee can be assessed on a homeowner's property tax. Even though there's still snow on the ground, a heli-tanker is making preparations for fire season in Pennsylvania. US Forest Service has just reopened recreational areas in Ocala National Forest following the 10,000 acre wildfire that burned in that region over the past couple of weeks; and a heli-tanker is now being based at an airport in Lake City, Florida, in preparation for more wildfires there. In a scenario all too familiar to those who live in wildfire areas, authorities in Kenya, Africa, are concerned about floods in areas denuded by wildfires. A bushfire outside of Perth in Western Australia kept firefighters busy; while Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has lodged objections over the revised building standards in bushfire country. And finally, arsonists in Australia aren't content with merely burning people out of their homes, now they're going after the post-bushfire cleanup equipment, too!